Do You and Your Family Need Food Assistance?

Dear Fellow Vermonter,

Right now, many people are worried about feeding their families. The school year is ending. Food prices are rising. The country is dealing with a baby formula shortage. That’s why I want to make sure you know that help is available to all Vermonters.

Below you will find some information about food assistance programs available across the state. If you don’t need help but you know someone who might, please send them this email. You can also get more information – including about local food shelves and farmers markets – by calling Vermont 2-1-1 or visiting here.

To everyone who is working tirelessly to provide food to Vermonters in need right now, thank you.

Sincerely,

Baby Formula Crisis

Right now, families across the country are struggling to find formula for their babies, and that includes right here in Vermont where estimates show 40% of newborns across our state use some supplementation after leaving the hospital. As we work to address this crisis as quickly as possible, please take a look at the resources below if you are in need of assistance.

Vermont Department of Health: The Vermont Department of Health has compiled important information on their website for Vermont families who are struggling to find baby formula during this crisis, including safety information, guidance around WIC benefits, and general assistance in finding formula. We’ve included a few highlights below, but please make sure to check their website for updates. You can find their website, here.

• Vermont WIC Families: If you are using a WIC EBT card to purchase formula, see a compiled list of WIC-approved grocery stores, here. Vermont WIC families and others can contact their local health office with any questions and to discuss substitutions.
  
  
• Finding Formula: For a compiled list of grocers that usually carry infant formula, see here. 
  
  
• Specialty Formula: Abbott Nutrition has a hotline number for families that need specialty formula. For information and orders, call 1-800-881-0876.
  
  
• Vermont Donor Milk Center: A nonprofit organization that opened its doors in 2020, the Vermont Donor Milk Center helps newborns and infants in Vermont and northern New York receive life-saving nutrition and food security for a healthy start in life through their milk dispensing site and donation drop-off location.
  • To learn more about their dispensing services, see here. 
  • To learn more about becoming a milk donor, see here.
    
    
• Need Assistance: If you have questions or need further assistance, Vermont families can contact their local health office, the Vermont Department of Health’s Maternal & Child Health Division at 802-828-3333, or Sen. Sanders’ office through our website or by phone at 802-862-0697 or 1-800-339-9834. 
  
  
• Some Additional Resources:
  • Find Formula During the Infant Formula Shortage (U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services)
  • USDA Infant Formula Safety
  • American Academy of Pediatrics 
  • Vermont Department of Health May 18, 2022 Press Release
    
    

Meals for Kids

School meals remain free for all children through the end of the school year. When school lets out for the summer, the federally-funded Summer Food Service Program makes sure food is available for kids 18 and under. As we get closer to the summer break, call 2-1-1 to find out if there is a summer meal program near you or visit the USDA Meals for Kids Site Finder.

• Meal Sites: To find the list of open meal sites per county, see here. This list will continue to be updated on a weekly basis throughout the summer.
  
  
• Child Care Eligibility: If your child is in child care, they may be able to get meals and snacks. Ask your provider if they participate in the Child and Adult Care Food Program, or if they offer meals and snacks through a different program.
  
  

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP/3SquaresVT)

3SquaresVT is Vermont’s name for the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which provides eligible Vermonters with money every month to buy groceries. It is one of the most important and effective federal nutrition programs combating hunger. Families and individuals receive EBT cards, which look and are used like a debit card, to help purchase food each month at over 600 retailers and more than 40 farmers markets across the state. Nearly 70,000 people in Vermont are signed up for 3SquaresVT, but many more are eligible and not receiving these important benefits.

To learn more and to apply, visit https://dcf.vermont.gov/mybenefits or call 1-800-479-6151. If you need help with your application, call 2-1-1 or text "VFBSNAP" to 855-11. If you are 60 or older, call the Senior Helpline at 1-800-642-5119 for personalized assistance. Find more information here: https://vermontfoodhelp.com/.

Who is eligible to receive 3SquaresVT benefits?

• Those with a household income equal to or less than 185% of the federal poverty level (FPL) are eligible to receive 3Squares – that would be under $893 per week for a family of four.
  
  
• Households with someone over the age of 60 with a disability, but have an income over 185% of FPL, may still qualify.
  
  
• Households that have children and receive the Vermont Earned Income Tax Credit are eligible.
  
  
• If you are eligible, the monthly benefit you receive will be dependent on your household size, income, and expenses. Right now, everyone enrolled in 3SquaresVT is receiving the highest amount for their household size. For a family of four, that is $835 every month. 

Use 3SquaresVT at your farmers market

• During the summer months, Vermonters can use 3SquaresVT benefits at farmers markets. To help make fresh, local fruits and vegetables more affordable, $10 in 3SquaresVT buys $20 in local food, thanks to “Crop Cash.”
  
  
• To learn more, click here.
  
  
• To find an up-to-date list of participating farmers markets, visit https://nofavt.org/cropcash/participatingmarkets.
  
  

Nutrition Options for Older Adults and People with Disabilities

Food Shelves: With rising food costs and increased fuel prices, budgets are stretched thin. If you or someone you know could use a hand keeping food on the table, you can call 2-1-1 for information about local food shelves in Vermont. You may also call the Vermont Foodbank at 1-800-585-2265. For more information on food shelves and other nutrition assistance programs near you, you can also go to https://www.vtfoodbank.org/coronavirus-services-for-individuals.

Meals on Wheels (Home Delivered Meals): The Meals on Wheels program is a critically important meal delivery program that helps thousands of older Vermonters and younger people with disabilities stay healthy and in their homes. To find information about meal delivery programs for older Vermonters or younger people with disabilities like Meals on Wheels, contact the Helpline at 1-800-642-5119, or visit: https://www.vermont4a.org/meals-nutrition.

Community Meals: Congregate meals are served throughout the week at many senior centers and meal sites. Not only do these sites provide nutrition, they provide important opportunities to socialize, take classes, and engage in exercise programs. Most senior centers have reopened with covid-safe protocols in place. To find information about senior community meals, contact the Helpline at 1-800-642-5119, or visit: https://www.vermont4a.org/meals-nutrition.

Commodities Supplemental Food Program (CSFP): The Commodity Supplemental Food Program is a federal nutrition program that offers free monthly boxes of food filled with canned fruits and vegetables, juice, cereal, pasta, cheese, shelf-stable milk, and canned meats to older Vermonters who are eligible. To find out more, call 1-800-214-4648.

Women, Infants and Children Program (WIC)

The WIC program provides healthy food, nutrition education, and health services to over seven million women, infants, and children every year, including 12,000 Vermonters. If you are a parent or guardian of a child under five, or if you are pregnant, WIC may be able to help you put food on the table.

To apply, go to https://www.healthvermont.gov/children-youth-families/wic/apply or text “VTWIC” to 855-11. Completing the application is the first step to enroll in WIC. Your eligibility is determined during an appointment with WIC nutrition staff. For more information, call 1-800-464-4343.

Who is eligible for WIC benefits?

• Pregnant people, new parents, infants, and children up to age five with a household income under $893 per week for family of four can enroll in WIC.
  
  
• Vermonters who receive Medicaid, Dr. Dynasaur, 3SquaresVT/SNAP, or Reach-Up are automatically income-eligible and can apply.
  
  
• Foster parents and grandparents can apply for children under their care.